Lighting fixture



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 12, 1963 INVENTOR K14 RL 5015 TZ W ATT 7 April 5, 1966 K. GOETZ LIGHTING FIXTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1965 INVENTOR KARL G05 rz ATT NEY5 United States Patent 3,244,sss LIGHTING FIXTURE Karl Goetz, 1429 Oregon St, Berkeley, Calif. Filed Aug. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 301,320 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) This invention relates generally to lighting devices, and more particularly to such devices for retaining various articles while heating and illuminating them.

An object of the present invention is to provide a lighting fixture suitable for retaining various articles such as foodstuffs, perfumes, cigarettes, small bottles, and the like, and illuminating such articles, in addition to providing a source for heating articles such as peanuts, potato chips, and the like to keep them crisp and warm.

Another object is to provide a lighting fixture of the type described which in addition to retaining and heating various articles can be used to provide illumination suitable for use on a dining table, and which can be easily modified to provide varying degrees of intensity and directness of lighting'as is desired.

A further object is to provide a lighting fixture which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, which is highly attractive in appearance, which is durable and can be used out of doors, and which can be modified to provide different artistic or decorative effects through variations in directness 'and intensity of lighting.

The invention possessses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the (foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing may be adapted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a light fixture embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional elevation view taken along the axis of the structure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but with the removable parts depicted in perspective exploded relation.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a light fixture 11 including a base 12 having mounted thereon lighting means such as an incandescent light buib 13. In broad terms, a light diffuser sleeve '14 is positioned to surround t'he lighting means, and preferably includes a plurality of axial-1y abutting ring-like sleeve members 16 of varying degrees of light transparency as is desired, for purposes described more fully hereinafter. An annular tray 17 is disposed around the sleeve -14 intermediate the ends thereof, and articles (not shown) contained in the tray 17 are illuminated by light emanating (from the bulb 13. A second tray 18 can be positioned overlying the bulb 16 such that heat from the bulb will keep warm any articles contained in the tray 18.

In more detail now, the base 12 is seen to include an upper portion 19 defining an opening 21 therein, with leg means such as the three legs 22 depending from the portion 19. A mounting bracket 23 is disposed in the opening 21, and secured to the bottom of the portion :19 by means of a plurality of flanged portions 24 such as the one seen in (FIGURE 3, the portions 24 preferably being welded to the portion 19. A conventional light bulb socket 26 is mounted on the bracket 23, with a pair of wires 27, 28 extending from the socket and leading through a grommet 29 to an extension cord 31 for use with an accessible source of 110 volt electricity. To turn on the bulb '13, an on-off switch 32 is provided in the wire 27, and is mounted on the bottom plate 33 of the bracket 23.

3,244,868 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 A downwardly facing cup shaped member 34 is mounted on the bracket 23, and has an outwardly upwardly turned lip 36 for receiving the lower end 37 of a transparent Weatherproof globe 38 which encloses the bulb 13. The lip 36 preferably also contains a gasket 39 against which the globe 38 seats, to assure a proper seal. Air vent holes 41 are provided in the member 36 to prevent the interior of the globe 38 from overheating. In addition, the bracket 23 is seen to comprise a weatherproof enclosure for the electrical connection to the wires 27, 28. lFl'OIIl the foregoing it is apparent that the fixture 1 1 can readily be used out of doors, with no damage from moisture.

Regarding the means for mounting the trays 17 and 18 and sleeve 14, a plurality of rods 42, preferably three as shown, are secured to the bracket 23 and extend upwardly therefrom in circumferenti-ally spaced relation around the bulb 13 and globe 38. An upper mounting bracket 43 is secured adjacent the upper ends of the rods 42, and includes a recessed portion 44 having an annular shoulder 46. The sleeve members 16 are dimensioned to fit slidably around the rods 4-2, and can be removed upwardly therefrom in order to change their positions as described more fully hereinafter.

The tray 17 preferably is of annular configuration, and is connected by interconnecting spaced struts 47 to an upwardly spaced coaxially disposed mounting disc 48. The disc 48 has a subjacent base portion 49 which seats rotatably on the shoulder 46, whereby the tray 17 is supported in position as shown in FIGURES l and 2.

Threaded fastener means 51 shown in FIGURE 2 is used to secure the disc 48 to the recessed portion 44 of the bracket 43, to assure that the tray is not jarred out of place. The upper tray 18 is provided with depending peripheral members 52 for conforming to a peripheral flanged wall 53 on the disc 48, whereby the tray 18 is removably mounted simply by placing it in position on the disc 48.

In operating the fixture 11, it will be appreciated that heat from the incandescent bulb causes articles in the tray 18 to be kept at a relatively warm temperature. Light transmitted through the diffuser sleeve illuminates articles retained in the tray 17, in addition to providing a source of general lighting suitable for use, for example, on indoor or outdoor dining tables. An important feature of the invention relates to the provision of the plurality of sleeve members 16 which comprise the sleeve 14, in that these members can be made with varying magnitudes of light transmission characteristics, ranging as desired from opaque to translucent or transparent. Consequently, by interchanging or replacing the members 16 different lighting effects can be achieved. For example, by having the member 16 which is disposed just below the tray 17 made nearly transparent, while the others are more towards being opaque or slightly translucent, the effect of subdued indirect lighting is created because the tray 17 blocks the line of sight from the operative transparent member. More direct lighting can be created by having sleeve members of high light transmission positioned above the tray 17, with numerous other variations of course also being possible. In addition, different decorative and artistic effects can be achieved by using members of different colors and sizes, with the decorative effect accordingly enhancing the intended type of iilumination, be it direct or indirect, subdued or bright.

What is claimed is:

1. A fixture of the character described comprising, a base having an upper portion defining an opening therein and leg means depending from said portion, a mounting bracket secured, to said portion and disposed adjacent said opening, an electric light bulb mounted on said bracket and extending above said base, a globe enclosing a, Q) said bulb and mounted on said bracket in weatherproof sealing relation therewith, a plurality of rods secured to said base and extending upwardly therefrom and circumferentially spaced around said globe, an upper mounting bracket secured adjacent the upper ends of said rods and spaced above said bulb and globe, a tubular light diffusing sleeve disposed concentrically around said rods and axially slidably thereon for removal, an annular tray disposed concentrically around said sleeve and rods intermediate the ends thereof, a mounting disc spaced upwardly from and coaxially with said tray and rotatably secured to said upper bracket, means interconnecting said tray and disc for supporting said tray whereby said tray is rotatable with said disc around said sleeve, and a second tray mounted on top of said disc.

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said sleeve comprises a plurality of axially abutting tubular sleeve members, at least two of said members having light transmission characteristics of difierent magnitudes.

3. A fixture of the character described comprising a base, an electric light socket operatively mounted on and extending upwardly from said base, an inverted transparent cup-like member overlying said socket and providing a seal therefor, cylindrical light diifuser means extending upwardly from said base in radially spaced relation to said cup-like member and extending axially above the upper end portion of the latter, an annular tray rotatably journalled around a medial portion of said diffuser means,

support means carried by said base and extending upwardly therefrom, and means depending from the upper end of said support means engaged with said tray for supporting the latter.

4. A fixture as set forth in claim 3 in which said support means comprises a plurality of parallel rods circumferentially spaced around said cup-like member, and said light diffuser means slidably engaging said rods for positioning said means in concentric relation on said base. i 5. A fixture as set forth in claim 3 in which said last named means includes an upper tray rotatably mounted on said support means, and a plurality of struts extending downwardly therefrom and connected to said annular tray, said upper tray being positioned above the upper end of said diffuser means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,579,305 4/1926 Goldberg 240-2 1,670,384 5/1928 Shapiro 240-2 1,871,742 8/1932 Sabath 240-2 2,714,156 7/1955 Robertshaw 240-108 3,094,286 6/1963 Harling 240-25 3,159,351 12/1964 Dwyer et al. 240-10 NORTON ANSI-IER, Primary Examiner. 

3. A FIXTURE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A BASE, AN ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE, AN INVERTED TRANSPARENT CUP-LIKE MEMBER OVERLYING SAID SOCKET AND PROVIDING A SEAL THEREFOR, CYLINDERICAL LIGHT DIFFUSER MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE IN RADIALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID CUP-LIKE MEMBER AND EXTENDING AXIALLY ABOVE THE UPPER END PORTION OF THE LATTER, AN ANNULAR TRAY ROTATABLY JOURNALLED AROUND A MEDIAL PORTION OF SAID DIFFUSER MEANS, SUPPORT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BASE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, AND MEANS DEPENDING FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS ENGAGED WITH SAID TRAY FOR SUPPORTING THE LATTER. 